Navy football offensive coordinator Grant Chesnut has been fired after just one season with the program.
Head coach Brian Newberry decided this week not to renew the contract of Chesnut, who previously held the same position at Kennesaw State. Navy players were informed of the decision Thursday night and the official announcement was made Friday afternoon.
Navy will conduct a national search for a replacement.
“This is a results-oriented business and we did not effectively produce on the offensive side of the ball the way we expect or need to,” Newberry said in a statement. “I am grateful for Coach Chesnut’s hard work and service to our program over the past year. We wish him and his wonderful family all the best moving forward.”
The Midshipmen struggled mightily on offense throughout the 2023 season and ranked near the bottom of the Football Bowl Subdivision in key offensive categories. The Midshipmen were 123rd out of 131 teams in total offense (300.2 yards per game) and 122nd in scoring offense (17.7 points per game).
Navy used four different starting quarterbacks over the course of the season. Tai Lavatai opened the campaign as the starter while classmate Xavier Arline started the last five games, including the Army-Navy Game. Sophomore Blake Horvath and freshman Braxton Woodson also started games. There were numerous games in which multiple quarterbacks played.
After being promoted to replace Ken Niumatalololo as head coach, Newberry went outside the program to hire an offensive coordinator. Before coming to Navy as defensive coordinator in 2019, Newberry held the same post at Kennesaw State and worked with Chesnut.
“As the head coach my job is to constantly evaluate every part of our program, starting with myself and the rest of our staff,” Newberry said. “Every decision I make is purely about what’s best for our program and our players. These decisions can sometimes be very difficult, but are necessary.”
Contacted through the Navy sports information department, Chesnut declined comment.
Navy’s offense struggled in several games in 2023. Navy only managed 265 total yards and punted 11 times in a 14-0 win against Charlotte. The Mids scored on a 69-yard pass from Woodson to slotback Eli Heidenreich and a 62-yard run by fullback Alex Tecza. Those two plays accounted for half of the offensive output that day.
Navy’s offense reached rock bottom against service academy rival Air Force, totaling just 124 yards in a 17-6 loss. The Midshipmen went three-and-out on 10 of 13 possessions, punted 10 times and had two interceptions. The Mids only had 46 total yards before driving 78 yards for a touchdown on their last possession of the game.
During the bye week prior to the Army-Navy Game, Chesnut expressed disappointment about the state of the offense.
“I wish we were further along. There’s no question about that. I wish we were more consistent in a lot of facets. There have been a lot of extenuating circumstances we’ve had to overcome,” Chesnut said at the time. “We want to put a product on the field that is consistent and executes at a high level and gains yards and score points. We have not been consistent at doing that.”
However, Chesnut insisted there were some positive signs and pointed to the performance of sophomores Tecza and Heidenreich as proof there were talented young offensive players in the program.
“There’s been some incremental progress. There have been a lot of bright spots behind the scenes. There are guys who have emerged as playmakers,” he said. “I’m excited and very encouraged. I feel the future is very bright. I feel confident you’re going to see a more consistent and productive product on the field [in 2024].”
While Navy continued to employ an option style offense, Chesnut expanded the package to include other elements. He used multiple formations and lots of motion as window dressing to keep defenses off-balance, and utilized more run-pass option schemes as well as jet sweeps and other plays designed to get the ball on the perimeter.
Chesnut introduced a package that featured two fullbacks lined up behind the quarterback and that was effective at times. He spent considerable time during the offseason incorporating short or quick passing game principles, but those were not heavily utilized during games.
Army coach Jeff Monken said the revamped Navy offense was difficult to prepare for because of the increased number of formations and more diverse play package.
“There’s been some compliments paid to our offense by opposing defensive coordinators several times through the course of the season,” he said. “We set out to do things that kept defenses off-balance and kept coordinators up late at night trying to prepare. We have been able to do that based on some of the feedback we’ve gotten. It gives you encouragement to keep pressing forward.”
Chesnut came to Annapolis with a proven track record as he oversaw productive offenses as Kennesaw State. The Owls ranked top three within the Football Championship Subdivision in rushing offense in six of the previous seven seasons.
Under Chesnut, Kennesaw State set a single-season program record with 352.9 rushing yards per game in 2018. The Owls set a school record with 58 rushing touchdowns the following season.
Kennesaw State was a start-up program that played with redshirt freshmen and transfers in 2015. Chesnut said the version of triple-option offense he installed really took off in 2017 and expected Navy to make a similar leap forward next season.
“I never expected things to go perfectly well coming in here because there were a lot of changes. At the same time, I am a competitor and my goal was to get things going at an elite level,” he said earlier this month. “There are a lot of really positive things going on day to day out on the practice field. You see glimpses of that during games; you just don’t see it consistently enough.”